40 Yards Scouting

2017 NFL Draft: Forrest Lamp

If Forrest Lamp’s first impressions at the Senior Bowl are anything to go by, on top of his stellar four-year career for the Hilltoppers, the senior left tackle/guard will quickly become the hottest offensive line prospects in the 2017 NFL Draft.

While his future position will be determined, it has been his outstanding play protecting the blind side for the Hilltoppers that has caught the eye during his career in Bowling Green, Kentucky. His stellar performances this season saw him named a first team all-Conference USA selection. A highly experienced campaigner who logged 40 consecutive starts during his four years as a starter, is an excellent pass protector in space, fundamental to the Hilltoppers boasting the third best offense in the country in 2016/17 that led to a second successive C-USA title.

An eye catching athlete, whose quickness off the snap stands out, wins with his impressive ability in engaging his hands quickly on pass rushers, faced his toughest test of his career this season on the road in Tuscaloosa against Alabama and one of the finest and most feared pass rushers in the country in Tim Williams, a certain first round pick later this month. While he also performed well against a talented LSU defensive front as a junior, Lamp passed the challenge with flying colours, holding up impressively well, surrundering just one solitary hit on his quarterback out of the 40 snaps he faced in total.

While I would like Lamp, as I always maintain with all prospects who have played the tackle position in college to such aplomb, to remain on the outside in space, initially at least, to see what he can do there at the next level, he does however boast an impressive, prototypical build to shift inside and thrive at the guard position, where he can best utilise his eye catching strength, physicality and mobility within close quarters to dominate and overpower defensive tackles.

Guard is likely his calling, due in large part to his shorter than desired arms for the NFL (31”). So far during both 1 v 1 drills and team scrimmages, the senior out of Venice, Florida has physically dominated his opponents and overpowered defensive linemen at the point of attack, holding up well in the process against some of the country’s best interior talents, Alabama’s Dalvin Tomlinson being one who could not get the better of him.

This week in Mobile, Alabama will prove whether he can thrive outside or become a terror to defensive lines inside this coming season. With offensive line play become en vougue once again and the success of similar talents such as former Irish left tackle Zack Martin moving inside, keep an eye on Lamp to establish himself as one of the premier prospects in the 2017 NFL Draft.

⇒ Cover Credit: Michael Hickey/Getty Images

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About Me

A former high school wide receiver in the early 1990s, now turned college athletics scout. 40 Yards Scouting (UK) was founded 2012 as a not for profit service, going on to publish four scouting guides to the NFL Draft of which all proceeds are donated to charity. Our goal also is to make college football easier to access for gridiron fans internationally & promote this wonderful amateur sport. Since 2015, we have published our free weekly 'Inside College Football' Magazine for our subscribers.